Classified of the week: E36 AMG

Buy the new E63’s granddaddy. This one’s a museum piece. Literally

If you strongly dislike rear tyres but can't quite stretch to the 70-odd thousand that it'll cost to buy the new rubber-melting E63 AMG, here's a rather handsome alternative. It's a 1995 E36 AMG coupe, and it used to belong to Mercedes itself, which used it as a display car at Mercedes-Benz World in Brooklands.

So, why has this got TopGear.com's root fizzing so fiercely? Firstly, just LOOK at it. It's wearing a full compliment of AMGery, which includes be-finned bumpers front and rear, state-of-the-nineties side skirts, a three-piece rear spoiler, and a set of AMG three-piece 17-inch split-rim alloys.

Its innards are just as handsome. Well, in a 90210 sort of way. The black leather chairs are heated, electric and remember stuff, it's got a wood/leather steering wheel, and even a wood-finish Pioneer radio. There's also an electric rear blind, factory fitted fire extinguisher, outside temperature gauge, headlamp wash wipe, rear headrests, and a front centre armrest.

Then there's the oily bit. It's got a 272hp, 284lb ft 3.6-litre straight six. It's good for 0-62mph in 7.2 seconds, and it'll keep on going till 155mph, which considering it's coming on for a 20-year-old car isn't half bad.

Finally, there's the rarity. This is one of just 24 UK cars, so the chance you'll run into another stand at comfortably long odds...